What are the WHITEST white paint colours in the TOP BRANDS? Let’s find out!

When it comes to picking the BEST white paint colour, it’s easy to take a wrong turn into the wrong undertones, which is why it’s SO important you do your research. And while I’ve covered MANY versions of white (including the kind that fills my glass on a nightly basis), today we’re going to chat about the MOST WHITE white paint colours!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while (thank you for drinking the Ginger-flavoured Kool-aid), you’ll know that LRV matters. WHAT IS LRV? If you don’t know, you get three slaps with a wet noodle and need to read this blog post ASAP – it’s also good for those needing a refresher!

And speaking of refresher, I’m also going to titillate you with WINE pairings, sharing some of my faves whites to pair with my fave whites (from our own BC Wineries!)

The WHITEST white paint colours will have the highest LRV numbers as the lower the LRV is, the darker the colour is. And while LRV goes up to 100, in the ‘real person paint world’, we’re only going up to 94, as we’re not slapping scientific white on our walls (it’s not available and only shows up on my bum cheeks in the dead of winter – yes, Mom, I said that).

The WHITEST white paint colours will have the highest LRV numbers

Sherwin Williams Pure White

It’s also important to not judge a colour by its name. For example, Sherwin Williams has a GORGEOUS white called Pure White (one of my faves), but let me tell you – it ain’t ‘pure white’.

AND LASTLY, after reading this list, PLEASE keep reading, as I have some IMPORTANT NOTES for you to consider BEFORE you start sampling white paint colours!

The WHITEST White Paint Colours

1. BEHR ULTRA PURE WHITE PR-W15 LRV 94.4

Wine pairing: Wild Goose Autumn Gold

Ultra Pure White is THE whitest white paint colour on the market. And even though I’ve been in long-term relationships with Ben and Sherm, there’s been the odd time when I’ve referred to this WHITEST white paint colour as the best colour for a project.

And don’t ask me why Behr has four different Ultra Pure Whites (I’ve sent an email asking) – seems like a great way to complicate things if you ask me. Stick with PR-W15 until I learn otherwise.

Why doesn’t every brand have a white that’s THIS WHITE? Good question – you get a gold star! Different brands use different BASES to create their paint, and not all white bases were created equally – this is why every brand has a different ‘white’ and it’s not the same right across the board (it’s also why you should NEVER colour match between brands).

2. KELLY MOORE WHITEST WHITE KMW43-1 LRV 94.62

Wine pairing: Three Sisters Winery Chardonnay

Now, you’d think that with an LRV of 94.62, Whitest White would be in the number one spot, and it SHOULD be. But, what I’m talking about are the WHITEST whites and even though its LRV is a weeee willy wink higher, I find that Ultra Pure White looks a touch cleaner, which could simply be because Behrs ‘white base’ is a cleaner white – but really, either will do the trick.

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE SW 7757 LRV 93

Wine pairing: Lunessence Quartet

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White is a white I refer to ALL THE TIME in my Online Paint Colour Consulting. With its LRV of 93, it’s pretty dang white. It looks SLIGHTLY warm in comparison to Ultra Pure White, but that’s just comparison as High Reflective White has no ‘colour’ added to it – only white (but again, it can depend on the actual COLOUR of the ‘base white’ that a brand uses…confused yet? I am. WHERE’S MY WINE!).

High Reflective White is WHITER looking than Chantilly Lace (#4), but NOT quite as white as Ultra Pure White. Compare the two and you WILL see that shift, with HRW looking a wink softer (but again, it’s really a pretty legit white white).

HOWEVER, High Reflective White is a TRICKY one, so humour the crazy lil’ Ginger for a minute…

High Reflective White is a base colour (that many stores don’t carry a lot of). So, stores will OFTEN take their ‘base white’ (the base they use to create other colours) and add 4 ounces of white to the gallon to give it body, brightness and coverage – creating High Reflective White. So, if your local store doesn’t have High Reflective White, this could be a solution to that – and it’s worth doing as HRW is a fantastic colour!

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE OC-65 LRV 92.2

Wine pairing: Quails Gate Pinot Gris-Pinot Blanc

According to Benjamin Moore, their most WHITE white paint colour is Chantilly Lace, with its LRV of 92.2. A lot of people think that Benjamin Moore SUPER White OC-152 is the whitest, but again, don’t judge a colour by its name as it has an LRV of 89.09!

And while it looks like a pretty DAMN WHITE WHITE, it actually comes off just a WINK warm/soft in comparison to Behr Ultra Pure White (but really, it’s a gorgeous white and one I refer to ALL THE TIME).

Chantilly Lace – third down

BTW, people are OFTEN fooled by Benjamin Moore Simply White, as it can look quite white and has an LRV of 92. HOWEVER, it has a pop of yellow undertone, so be careful where you put it.

Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…

Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…

Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
At $6.99, they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needing for traditional paint sampling
If you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

5. FARROW & BALL ALL WHITE 2005 LRV 91.8

Wine pairing: Three Sisters Rose

With an LRV of 91.8, All White will look white but can come off a bit softer than the others with its slightly lower LRV. While I find that ‘generally speaking’ the first four colours all do a very similar job, All White is just a bit noticeably softer.

White Paint Colours and Exposure

I’m not talking FULL-exposure (which is one of my fave past-times) but the type of exposure that’s coming in your windows – north, east, south, west.

The quality and colour of the natural light coming in your windows will ABSOLUTELY shift how white paint colours look. This has a lot to do with their HIGH LRV, as with that high LRV (light reflectance value) they REFLECT more light!

North-facing light – Cool gray light with a blue tinge (read more)
East-facing light – slightly warm, yellow light (read more)
South-facing light – yellow-orange (but white at the height of day) (read more)
West-facing light – yellow-orange, going even more golden at the end of the day (read more)

How to Pick a Colour for a Room with 2 Exposures

This means if you pick one of the above whites but think it looks a bit blue/yellow/etc…it’s not the paint colour ITSELF, but the light that it’s reflecting. This can ALSO happen if you have a lot of greenery outside, such as trees, landscaping and grass – nature of the beast!